Islamabad: Pakistan strongly condemned yet another incident of desecration of Holy Quran in The Netherlands, calling upon European country to take swift action against such “Hateful and Islamophobic acts”.

“Pakistan condemns in strongest terms latest senseless and deeply offensive act of desecration of Holy Quran that took place in The Hague, Netherlands in front of some embassies Organisation of Islamic Cooperation including Pakistan,” Foreign Office said in press release issued.

Turkish newspaper Daily Sabah had reported on Saturday that Dutch far-right activist Edwin Wagensveld, who leads Dutch branch of far-right group Pegida had desecrated Holy Quran in front of Turkish, Pakistani and Indonesian embassies in Hague and “Insulted Islam and Muslims”. FO said “Deliberately provocative and Islamophobic act” hurt sentiments of Muslims around world and such actions could not be condoned under “guise of freedom of expression, opinion and protest”.

Pakistan had conveyed its concerns to Dutch authorities, urging them to be “Mindful of sentiments” of people of Pakistan and Muslims around world and take active steps to prevent such “Hateful and Islamophobic acts”.

“It is important for international community to raise its voice against Islamophobia and work in concert to promote interfaith harmony.”  That was spirit behind resolution passed by United Nations General Assembly in 2022 to mark March 15 as International Day to Combat Islamophobia,” FO said.

Published in The Daily National Courier, September, 26 2023

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